In this special episode of No Crystal Stair Podcast,  Habeebah pays tribute to her beloved brother, Hashim Rasheed, by welcoming the first male guest to the show. Habeebah sits down with Archie Green, widely known as The Cope Dealer, a remarkable individual who is a son, mental health advocate, hip-hop artist, and the founder of Peel Dem Layers Back—a non-profit organization with a mission to educate, empower, and equip Black men and boys with the essential tools needed to live mentally healthy lives through healing hang-outs and cultural artistic expression, all while representing the hip-hop culture.

During their conversation, Archie shares with listeners the challenges arising from the lack of available Black male therapists or therapists of color. He courageously opens up about his personal journey and shares how having access to a Black male mental health professional helped him begin to understand his mental health needs, allowing him ultimately to transform the pain of living with major depressive disorder into a purposeful song called "Layers," which quickly went viral.

Archie invites listeners to reconsider the value of therapy, emphasizing the importance of honesty and trust within the therapeutic relationship. He passionately encourages individuals to embrace the power of vulnerability, highlighting how our stories of resilience can offer hope and inspiration to others navigating their own challenges.

Listeners are encouraged to support the work of Archie's organization, Peel Dem Layers Back and to connect with the work he is doing at NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Stream Archie's album, The Cope Dealer, on your favorite platform. Follow Archie on Instagram and Twitter using his handle @the_cope_delear.

#NoCrystalStairPodcast #HonoringMyBrother #TheCopeDealer #PeelDemLayersBack #MentalHealthMatters #BlackMenMatter #HipHopHealing
#FindingFreedom #BreakingBarriers #TherapyReimagined #PowerOfVulnerability
#ResilienceStories #HealingThroughArt #MentalWellbeingJourney #UnlockYourPotential

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In this episode of No Crystal Stair Podcast, host Habeebah engages in a profound conversation with Kyonna F. Brown, The Forgiveness Expert. Kyonna's inspiring story encompasses multiple roles in her life as a mother of a son, suicide survivor turned advocate, pastor, author, and owner of Pooch Styles pet care salon. Kyonna reveals the mental imprisonment she endured before finding herself behind bars for a challenging four-year period. She opens up about the struggles she faced while desperately seeking the love and acceptance of her absent father. Kyonna shares her transformative journey of forgiveness, which began by extending forgiveness to her father before extending it to herself. Kyonna invites listeners to embark on their own personal journey of forgiveness, emphasizing the importance of confronting pain head-on and detaching from traditional beliefs about self-prioritization.

Healwithkyonnafbrown.com
https://www.facebook.com/kyonnaf

#ForgivingThePast #JourneyToFreedom #NoCrystalStairPodcast #TheForgivenessExpert #BreakingFree #HealingJourney #EmbracingCompassion #SelfForgiveness #PersonalGrowth #OvercomingChallenges #FindingFreedom #TransformativeJourney #EmotionalHealing #SelfLove #LettingGo #ForgiveAndThrive #EmbracingChange #HealingFromWithin #Empowerment #ReleaseAndHeal #InnerPeace #MindsetShift #PositiveTransformation #SelfReflection #BreakTheChains #UnleashYourPotential #EmbracingWholeness #ForgivenessIsPowerful #MovingForward #HealingHeart #Resilience #NewBeginnings

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In this episode, host Habeebah sits down with Tiffany Lewis, a remarkable woman who wears multiple hats: mother of three, community servant, Army Veteran, and the Founder of TJL Collections. Tiffany's brand caters specifically to tall women, providing fashion that combines style, fit, and length.

Tiffany opens up about the unique challenges faced by tall women when it comes to self-confidence. She shares her personal journey and how she has navigated through the complexities of embracing her own height. Additionally, Tiffany sheds light on the impact of the pandemic on her business and the wider fashion industry. She discusses the hurdles faced by her and many others, including significant delays in the supply chain, with estimated wait times exceeding 30 days for fabrics to fulfill customer orders.

Drawing from her own experiences, Tiffany emphasizes the importance of having a supportive village. She shares how her community has played a crucial role in helping her overcome battles with postpartum depression and find strength in difficult times. Through TJL Collections, Tiffany spreads a powerful message of inspiration embodied in her clothing line: "Let your light shine bright from the inside out."

https://www.tjlcollection.com/

https://www.instagram.com/tjl_collection/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffany-a-lewis/

#FashionEmpowerment #TallWomenUnite #ConfidenceJourney #SupportVillage #SupplyChainStruggles #PostpartumPerspective #InspiringFashion #InnerLight #CommunityStrength #FindingYourVoice

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Habeebah sits down with Alta Felix, a mother of three plus two step-children, mother-daughter relationship expert, and founder of Sacred Heart Circle Experience, a space for mothers and preteen daughters to recreate the terms of their relationship. Alta shares how she overcame the challenges of creating a friendship with her mother and their relationship in the present moment along with how the role of other maternal figures has influenced her calling and purpose. Alta offers listeners the opportunity to engage with their children with love and care, as opposed to through the attitudes and beliefs of others.

Listeners can learn more about Alta and follow her work from the links below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alta.felix

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_self/

Website: https://evolutionaryself.co/

Bonus: Listeners of No Crystal Stair Podcast can receive 20% OFF The Sacred Heart Circle Retreat and Zoom Experience using the code MOTHERHOOD at checkout.

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Habeebah sits down with Gloria Ware, the mother of a free-thinking adult son and founder of two successful businesses: Get The Bag and GTB Advisors. Gloria shares her personal story of setting boundaries as a working mother, which was a first step toward liberating herself from the limiting beliefs that work life so often demands. She cautions listeners about the cost of holding a scarcity mindset and explains how the path of entrepreneurship opens the door for mothers to exercise choice. Gloria also invites listeners to tap into the rich history of Black women entrepreneurs for inspiration to persevere through tough moments in business and encourages us all to incorporate self-care into our business plan.

Connect with Gloria on Facebook at and on Instagram, or by joining the community of Black women entrepreneurs Gloria connects with at https://www.getthebag.biz/. For listeners who are ready to level up their business head to https://www.gtbadvisorsllc.com/.

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Habeebah sits down with Rabbi Tamar Manasseh, an ordained Rabbi, a mother of two, and founder of MASK (Mothers and Men Against Senseless Killings), an organization focused on interrupting violence and crime by building a sense of community and shared responsibility that teaches children to grow up as friends rather than enemies.

Rabbi Tamar shares that as a Jewish person of faith and Black mother she is uniquely positioned to act in response to the difficulties facing the Black community by responding to the command to leave the world a better place than she found it.  She articulates the challenges of building healthier communities and strong children when the primary focus is on legislation instead of prioritizing education and liberation.

Rabbi Tamar offers listeners the principle of “All of Israel Are Responsible for One Another,” which she implements in all aspects of her work from providing meals and  spaces for children to keep learning during the pandemic to offering an upcoming firearm safety course for youth ages three and above. 

Listeners can learn more about Rabbi Tamar's work by checking out the website for her documentary, They Ain't Ready for Me, or by visiting the links below:

www.ontheblock.org 

https://www.instagram.com/maskchicago/

https://www.facebook.com/maskontheblock/

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Habeebah sits down with Attorney Corey Minor Smith, a mother of two sons, mental health advocate, and author of #Driven, a personal memoir of caregiving for a loved one (her mother) with severe mental illness and the “drive” to propel forward through the obstacles.  Corey shares the challenges of mental health advocacy and the importance of boundaries in the relationship with her sons along with her mother. Corey offers listeners her story (both on the show and a physical book) and how she continues to support her mother despite the complex nature of their relationship as a result of severe mental illness.

Website: https://www.coreyempowers.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coreyempowers/

Easy Links Page: https://www.coreyempowers.com/easylinks

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Habeebah sits down with Rennee Hubb Johnson, a mother, grandmother and author as she tells the story of how she went from "bound to found." Rennee shares her experiences after becoming a mother during her teenage years and she describes the challenges she had to overcome in order to find peace and fulfill her purpose as she raised her children and younger sister. Rennee offers listeners her testimony as to how healing her relationship with her mother and growing in her relationship with God helped her overcome self-doubt, thoughts of suicide, and the limiting beliefs that others tried to impose on her.

Listeners can learn more about Rennee by checking her out on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook by way of links below:

https://www.youtube.com/@Inspiring2live
https://www.instagram.com/inspiring2live/?hl=en
https://www.facebook.com/Inspiring2live

Note: According to the Center for Suicide Prevention and Research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, Black youth are twice as likely to die by suicide compared to their white counterparts. Racism and compounded trauma are increasingly understood to be contributing to this distressing statistic. As of July 2022, U.S. residents are able to access help for themselves or others experiencing suicidal thoughts or other mental health crisis by dialing 988 and accessing the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

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Habeebah sits down with Carleeka Basnight-Menendez, a mother to two sons and international consultant, speaker and author who offers her wisdom on navigating menopause and the many physical, emotional, and psychological changes that accompany this period of women's development. Carleeka encourages listeners to remember that they are are the experts when it comes to their bodies and minds and she urges women to define beauty for themselves, especially during this time. She also invites listeners to cultivate healthy habits to support being our best selves.

Listeners can find Carleeka at https://carleeka.com/ and on social media by way of Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/carleeka.basnightmenendez/, LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/carleeka-basnight-menendez and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/carleeka.basnightmenendez.

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Habeebah sits down with Trina Jones, a mother of three, who is using her personal knowledge of special education to assist parents and caregivers who need help navigating the public eduction system when their children have unique learning needs. Trina shares the story of building her own, and her children's advocacy skills so that both her children, and especially her daughter would get the support they needed. She also shares practical strategies parents and caregivers can use engage their children's teachers and create a dialogue that makes it possible for our kids to be seen, understood and supported.

Multiple studies show that Black children are at risk for not having their educational needs appropriately responded to and addressed. Black children are also more likely to receive harsher punishment than their white peers for the same disciplinary concerns. Engaging with a parent advocate can be a helpful way for families to bring concerns to the attention of their child's school and get action.

Learn more about Trina's work and how to partner with her at her website https://www.laagroup.org/ or on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/laacleveland/ and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LAAdvocacy. Listeners can also find Trina on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/trina-jones-mba-6657a1a9.

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Habeebah sits down with Rachel Socorro, a SurThriver and mother to two sons as she shares her powerful story of overcoming. Rachel describes how she survived human trafficking, began her healing journey and helped her sons to heal, and ultimately began to live a life of faith and service. Rachel also shares her passion for supporting other people to achieve wellness.  She is a sits on the Survivor Advisory Council of The Greater Cleveland Collaborative To End Human Trafficking and is the founder and director of a nonprofit organization, Total Life Wellness, that focuses on guiding, advocating, and facilitating holistic wellness "for those who want to be balanced and well."

Listeners can learn more about Rachel's work by way of her Facebook linked here and Women Revived Ministries. 

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Habeebah sits down with Kori E. Whisenant a mother to two boys and licensed attorney in the State of Ohio who has spent her career in the fields of Estate Planning, Probate Administration, and Guardianship. She shares her passion and urgency for Black mothers to prepare for the unanticipated as well as the inevitable through legal estate planning and protection.

Listeners can learn more about estate planning and probate administration or sign up for Kori's newsletter and events by way of her website https://www.kwhisenantlaw.com/resources-and-events.

Kori can be found on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/k.e.whisenantlaw/  Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kwhisenantlaw and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kori-whisenant-5ab07420.

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Donnella Jefferson and Erica Merritt return to No Crystal Stair Podcast to help Habeebah count down the Black motherhood moments that inspired them most in 2022. (Part 2 of 2)

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Donnella Jefferson and Erica Merritt return to No Crystal Stair Podcast to help Habeebah count down the Black motherhood moments that inspired them most in 2022.

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Habeebah sits down with De'iona Monay, a mother and entrepreneur who is using and sharing her knowledge of critical financial skills in service to the economic well-being of teens and adults. De'iona describes how doing inner work has helped her overcome limiting beliefs and she shares how being intentional in relationship to her businesses and to herself, her own mother, and her son has helped her find peace and build a life that allows her to experience success and to help others.

Learn more about De'iona at www.deionamonay.com and support her work of building young people's financial literacy and social emotional skills by visiting www.xtremefinancialacademy.com.

You can also find De'iona on Instagram at www.instagram.com/deionamonay and Xtreme Financial Academy at www.instagram.com/xfafoundation.

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Habeebah sits down with Derrica and Natalie Wilson who are mothers, sisters-in-law, and founders of Black and Missing Foundation, a transformational organization bringing national attention to the plight of Black families whose loved ones are missing. Derrica and Natalie share what inspired them to create an organization dedicated to making sure that when Black children, adolescents, and adults are missing, their cases receive  adequate resources from law enforcement and attention from local and national media in order to "help us find us." Listeners are encouraged to watch the award winning documentary series, Black and Missing,  on HBO to learn more about the urgency and impact of Derrica and Natalie’s work.

Listeners are encouraged to visit Black and Missing Foundation's website at https://www.blackandmissinginc.com/ to learn more about the organization's mission, view and share missing persons information for your community, and support Black and Missing Foundation through donations. Viewers can also connect with the organization's social media accounts and learn more about the racial disparities in missing persons cases.

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Habeebah sits down with Phyllis "Seven" Harris, a fierce advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and transformational non-profit leader. Seven has over 25 years of non-profit experience and is the executive director of the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland. She is also the co-founder of Sage and Maven, a consulting business that specializes in equity and inclusion, social justice, non-profit management, and leadership development. Seven offers listeners an intersectional perspective as she shares her experiences in leadership and advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community and talks about how she sustains the capacity to do the work that the community needs. She also shares the powerful wisdom and beautiful insights that she has gained through motherhood.

The LGBTQ+ community needs solidarity and action in this time of increased violence and legislative efforts to limit civil rights and protections for LGBTQ+ folx. No Crystal Stair Podcast listeners are encouraged to get meaningfully involved in the work of resisting these actions. Listeners can support the work of the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland by going to the organization's website: https://lgbtcleveland.org/donate/. 

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Habeebah sits down with author, personal growth coach, and consultant, Carmen Hall, to discuss her work and experiences as she stepped fully into her purpose, navigating  uncertainty and discomfort but guided by God, to respond to her calling to use her gift of writing to empower others. She candidly shares how mothering her three sons and two daughters influences and is influenced by her work in the mental health wellness space. And she helps listeners understand the depth of healing that Black mothers are seeking given the societal factors that have caused trauma and harm.

Listeners can find Carmen on Instagram by way of her handle @andhernamewasgrace. Learn more about Carmen's services and find her book, The Gift of Now, on her website www.andhernamewasgrace.com.

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Habeebah sits down with Marlia Hall whose story of faith and obedience to her calling brought her through a season of despair to the point of fulfilling not only her own dreams, but helping other women to fulfill their dreams as well. Marlia and her team at her consulting agency, M Bryonne LLC,  "show women how to obtain daily peace, live in purpose, and have prosperity."

Marlia and Habeebah talk about what it takes for Black mothers to change the narrative for ourselves and our children through the development of new habits and ways of being that invite us to love ourselves, keep ourselves accountable for our well-being, and be the role models that our children need.

Listeners can find Marlia on Instagram @marlia_hall and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/marliabhall.

Note: In this conversation, Habeebah mentions the power of Marlia's work for women in Northeast Ohio, given that on measures of livability, Cleveland was recently identified as the worst city for Black women. Learn more about this study by reading "What Livability Looks Like for Black Women" and checking out the work of Project Noir.

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Habeebah sits down with Meryl Johnson, a retired teacher, member of the Ohio Board of Education and a fierce advocate for young people, particularly who are marginalized and facing the most difficult of circumstances. Meryl's life of service and activism is a testimony to the cultural tradition of "othermothers" who nurture and protect children who are not biologically their own. This cultural tradition of people of African descent was first shared with No Crystal Stair Podcast listeners by Dr. Shemariah Arki. Meryl provides listeners a testimony for how meaningful and absolutely essential othermothers are in our community and in the lives of our children.  Learn more about othermothers here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Othermother.

In this conversation, Meryl speaks about disturbing proposed legislation in Ohio as well as a proposed resolution by a member of the Ohio Board of Education, all of which will censor and sanction teachers who convey an accurate account of history to their students and acknowledge students' experiences of marginalization and oppression stemming from racism, transphobia, and homophobia. Learn more about these efforts and how you can help resist them at www.honestyforohioeducation.org.

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In this first episode of season 2 of No Crystal Stair Podcast, Habeebah is joined by Michelle Bell, founder of M-PAC Cleveland and co-founder of Together We Rise. Michelle discusses the deep grief she lives with in the aftermath of her son’s murder and how she honors his memory through relying on faith, activism,  and love of community. She explores the impact of her son’s death, the pain of knowing his killer has not been brought to justice, and the passion that has been ignited within her to combat gun violence. She also shares about meeting with President Biden as he signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most comprehensive gun violence prevention legislation in decades.

Listeners can reach Michelle at M-PAC Cleveland by phone and email. M-PAC Cleveland is also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Dby4hope/. 

Phone: 216-273-7811

Email: impactheworld@att.net

Listeners can support M-PAC and Together We Rise by making a contribution by mailing a check to P.O. Box 19081, Cleveland, Ohio 44119 or via Cash App $MPACCleveland.

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Habeebah shares her reflections on the first season of No Crystal Stair Podcast and what's next for the show.

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In this final conversation of No Crystal Stair Podcast's first season, Habeebah sits down with Lawna Gamble, founder of Willow Cove Art & Wellness Boutique, as she shares her pathway to self-healing and self-acceptance after experiencing debilitating mental and physical health challenges. Lawna describes the ways her son has been a source of wisdom, encouragement and inspiration throughout their relationship, particularly as she does the work to live more fully in her purpose while reclaiming and redefining her professional identity.

Throughout this episode, Lawna and Habeebah talk about the harmful impact of transgenerational and racial trauma on Black women and our sons, and the importance of acknowledging and healing from the toxic effects. Learn more about transgenerational and racial trauma by reading Dr. Kenneth Hardy's article, "Healing the Hidden Wounds of Racial Trauma," or engaging with the work of Resmaa Menakem, author of My Grandmother's Hands, or Joy DeGruy, author of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome.  In service to our collective healing, also check out All About Love by bell hooks.

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Habeebah sits down with Erica Merritt, founder and principal consultant of Equius Group, as she shares her experience in parenting  and providing for her son while completing her undergraduate and graduate education, and ultimately starting a successful business in service to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) in the education and non-profit sectors. She describes the many ways that her work in the DEIB space has been informed by her son's experiences from childhood to adulthood.

In this conversation, Erica and Habeebah discuss anti-equity / anti-justice efforts that are sweeping the U.S. in response to the multiracial, multigenerational demands for justice in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder in May 2020. Erica tells listeners that we cannot be silent and must concern ourselves with what is happening in our communities' schools. Learn more about advocacy and organizing efforts in Ohio to ensure that we do not allow honesty to be taken out of our schools by visiting Honesty for Ohio Education. Nationally, listeners can engage with the work of Red, Wine and Blue, an advocacy organization working to stop the banning of education that addresses issues of race and racism. 

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Habeebah sits down with @blackcommafeminist Dr. Shemariah J. Arki to talk about how she brings a Black feminist perspective to parenting and the ways that mothering her adolescent sons informs her activism and work. Habeebah and Dr. Arki tap into the power of Black feminist theory as they explore the dynamics of motherhood, lineage, freedom dreaming, and making space for the next generation of Black scholars.

This episode was recorded on the ten year anniversary of the murder of Trayvon Martin. We honor his life and his mother, Sybrina Fulton, for her grace, generosity and courageousness as she advocates for justice and accountability in the aftermath of Trayvon's death. We invite listeners to go to https://www.trayvonmartinfoundation.org/ to learn how we can support Ms. Fulton's work in honor of Trayvon's memory.

Note: This episode contains adult language. Please use care as you listen.

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